UWR | u-7-030 | 196
Region: Omineca
Legal under OGAA: Yes
Legal under FRPA: Yes
Notes: Mackenzie TSA Mountain Goat UWR - Core Area - Unit No: 196
- Escape terrain (steep slopes including cliffs, windswept alpine ridges, and rocky escarpments),
- Foraging areas adjacent to escape terrain. (shrubs and grass communities).
- Steep south and south-west facing slopes, windswept ridges, conifer bluffs, snow shedding slopes.
- Mineral licks and connectivity trails.
- Minimize disturbance and ensure that activities do not disrupt behaviour of adult females and young during the lambing season.
- Maintain continued use of escape terrain, adjacent foraging areas, and natal areas by Mountain Goat.
- Maintain desired plant communities and key habitat features.
All Activities
- Identify key habitat features using appropriate measures (i.e. QP direction, desktop review, field confirmation, etc) and plan activities within the operating area accordingly.
- Time works such that they occur outside of the critical timing window.
- Apply the appropriate survey and setback requirements for WHFs within identified habitat. (Refer to section 1.9 of the EPMG for additional guidance on WHFs).
Linear Features (roads, pipelines, seismic)
All:
- Minimize linear disturbance as they enhance predator mobility especially near critical areas.
All Activities
- Undertake construction and operation of oil and gas activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to desired plant communities and key habitat features.
- Minimize noise and use of mechanical clearing and activity in identified habitat.
Timing considerations when working within identified habitat:
- When working within identified habitat, avoid disturbance and/or clearing activities within know birthing areas during the critical timing window from May 15 to July 15.
- Where an application area is within a NEBC UWR or WHA for Mountain Goat, please refer to the EIMS summary for that Order. Proponents are required to adhere to the guidance provided in that summary, including any relevant timing considerations.
Linear Features
All
- Upon completion of the activity, undertake the following measures to encourage re-establishment of the pre-disturbance ecological trajectory:
- deactivate unnecessary access corridors,
- undertake measures to control access,
- promote natural or assisted regeneration.
General Wildlife Measures
No impact to Forest Cover.
Note: 138 of 1427 UWR UNITS fall within NEBC. 10 UWR_UNITS are for Stones Sheep as well as Mountain Goat (UWR_UNIT 1220, 111, 1225, 1323, 1204, 1326, 1313, 1316, 1311, 1324).
Mountain goat core winter range, established to meet the winter habitat requirements for mountain goat.
To protect and conserve mountain goat and mountain goat habitat.
Activity to use existing disturbance
Minimize:
- Forest openings not to exceed 1ha.
- Running width of new roads to 3.5m (except for safety and culvert placement)
Prevent:
- Human disturbance
- Load noises
- Helicopters
Maintain/avoid
- Mature stands (>80yrs)
- Lichen bearing trees
- Quality forage (grass/shrubs)
- Rocky bluffs/Escape terrain
- South west facing slopes
- Windswept Ridges
- Conifer bluffs
- Steep snow shedding slopes
- Snow interception cover
- Mineral licks
Planning Measures:
Limit new roads and trails. Use existing clearing. New roads to limit running width to 3.5m except for the purpose of safety or culvert placement.
No impact to old forest and lichen bearing trees
Minimize the size of forest openings to 1ha.
Maintain a 200m forest buffer around:
- Quality forage (grass/shrubs)
- Rocky bluffs/Escape terrain
- South west facing slopes
- Windswept Ridges
- Conifer bluffs
- Steep snow shedding slopes
- Snow interception cover
- Mineral licks
Operational Measures:
Helicopter activity only permitted between July 15 and Oct 31 within 2000m of UWR
Development activities must take place between July 15 and Oct 31 for occupied ranges
Control Access using signage and safe barricades or gates
Cease activity when goats are present within 500m of activity.
Employ a QP onsite to document the winter range occupation.
All permanent roads or access to be decommissioned upon completion of activity.